Ed.

"Beautiful bike." Continued the man on the Plastic Fantastic Cervelo after dogging me all the way up the last hill before home.

Better than a Maybelline moment!

CV-6 

I have had a couple of those moments also. You figure the guy on the carbon bike is clueless and then he shocks you by saying something nice about your bike. Unfortunately I have always been so flabbergasted that all I can say is thanks and pedal on.

noglider 

It happens to me fairly often. I rode a group ride of a few hundred people in June. I had the oldest bike by far, my 1982 McLean. I was riding it because it's my favorite bike for long rides, not because I was out to make a point about old bikes. But without intending to, maybe I did say something, though I'm not sure what.

old_dreams

I had a guy in a car pull up alongside me once, roll down the window and shout "Beautiful bike!"

I was so spooked I couldn't even muster a wave in response.

Iowegian

My kids get this too. They tell me that someone comments on their bikes at stop signs, etc. They are a 85 Trek 620 and late 70's? Austro-Daimler Inter10, both converted to single speeds. The bikes are way older than they are and they aren't bike affectionado's by any means, but I think they do appreciate the comments. The AD built up to 20.5 lbs with 700x32 Ritchey tires and my son's high school buddies were all quite impressed by how light it was (or so I am told...)

Dave Cutter

I often get compliments on my vintage bikes..... and only rarely on my new bikes.

I think for many novices the classic bikes better fit their mental image of what a bicycle is suppose to look like (compared to the new geometry bikes). And many of the older cyclists own (or have owned) old steel beauties as well. They know what they are looking at.

New bicycles can be beautifully designed machines (often easily acquired with the use of a checkbook). But a beautiful old steel C&V bike is often a labor of love acquired by effort.

greg3rd48 

A gentleman and his wife were driving alongside me in Brooklyn and we both stopped at a red. He rolled down the window and said, "Beautiful Peugeot!", in reference to my rebuilt U08. He started talking about how he loved his Peugeot in the '70s and how mine was so beautifully maintained. He said a lot during one traffic light cycle and I told him I really appreciate the kinds words. I enjoy it when my bikes evoke a positive memory in another.

gaucho777 

On my last solo weekend ride, shortly after cresting a local 2-mile, ~700-ft climb, a rider on a fancy carbon bike with full carbon wheels and team kit plastered with "Strava" pulled up next to me. He says, "I like when I can't catch a rider on a climb and then find out he's got downtube shifters." I didn't even realize as I was being chased. Made my day.

Lascauxcaveman 

Here's how it went down with me: "Wow! Beautiful Legnano! Er... that is a Legnano, isn't it?"

Me: "Nope."



We pulled over and and I gave him the whole Velo Cheapo story. He was pretty amused by the concept, and fairly impressed with the bike. I was impressed there was someone else in my little town who knew what a Legnano was

RobbieTunes

People yell at me on my bike all the time.

gugie 

I like it when I get compliments on my bikes, like anyone else.

But I like it even better when I'm out for a ride with my kids and they get compliments for their C&V bikes (that daddy fixed up with them).


Left to right: 8 speed IGH conversion of an 80's Specialized Hardrock, 8 speed IGH conversion of an 80's Nishiki Olympic 12, updated 83 Lotus Classique

Blue Belly

When I was strong I would often ride my steel bikes In our group ride. A lot of people didn't like that

Mechanicjay

Ha, just had a fellow compliment the old school speedo on my John Deere at the bike shop. After he walked away I noticed he was riding a really nice Black Vintage Mercian, which I wish I had been able to compliment him on.

As it was, the Bike shop mechanic found the concept of vintage John Deere 10-speed to be "awesome!"

jimmuller 

I was on the Motobecane, 15 miles from home returning from a solo century, and fell in behind a rider on CF pulling a kiddie trailer. I happened to pass him but he caught me at a stop sign a few hundred yards later. As he pulled up beside me he blurted out "That's a beautiful bike!" We had a few seconds so I thanked him and we spoke for a few minutes. When traffic cleared I pulled off ahead of him and he followed. A few hundred yards later I encounter BF member bishbike so we pulled over to converse (and so I could rest - did I mention it was near the end of a century?). The other guy zipped on by, we nodded, and he was gone.



I once had a CF cyclist comment on the Masi, and when asked by another cyclist what was so special about it he said it was the bike from Breaking Away.

Cool moments.

Cougrrcj

I've gotten comments along those lines from someone manning a repair station at a rest stop while participating in a MS150 a few years ago... "Wow!! Now there's a piece of history!" in reference to my '75 Fuji S-10S, in all of it's 'period-correctness' right down to the 'tire flickers'...

LeicaLad 

Each of those is very nicely done. It is no surprise that people comment on them. I do, however, think that their actual vintage-ness is hidden or recast to appear quite modern. Congrats on achieving that. Let's see a bit more of the Lotus, too.

gugie 

Like the way you named your bikes!

You asked for more Lotus, your wish is my command:

brianinc-ville

Hey, tell your kids they've got nice bikes, for me.

velomateo

"hey, nice bike...now get back on the sidewalk!!!"

Last ride 76 

^^^^^

RobbieTunes

No respect, I tell ya, no respect....

shoota 

Carbon isn't plastic.

The Golden Boy 

I've had ONE person say something about my bike (the 720), the conversation was dominated by me docking out- otherwise the only other thing was talking to a nice young man about his fancy titanium bike and there was a clear insinuation that my Trek 620 was an inferior machine.

Conversely, I tend to make complimentary comments about people's bikes all the time. Sometimes they're appreciative, sometimes they ignore me- and occasionally they have no idea that their bike is nice or cool.

Paramount1973 

Carbon fiber is impregnated with epoxy resin, without which the frame would be useless. Epoxy resin is plastic, so a CF bike is, in effect, a plastic bike. But a CF bike can be a work of a high order of craftsmanship.
Carbon Fiber Bike Construction | Bicycling

jetboy 

best bike conversation i had was not even riding. got on BART (bay area rapid -haha- Transit) with my teal ironman and at the next stop.. in comes a guy with a miami vice ironman. (his is near mint.. one of those: guy bought it 30 years ago and rode it one summer then left it in the garage) but we get to talking then next thing we know an older gentleman joins in.. saying he remembered these bikes when they came out etc etc. older dude was around 60, I am 40s, guy with vice was early 20s.

a good bike spans the generations.